Winds of Fire [ACOTAR]

CHAPTER FORTY SIX

The heat was somehow worse. The smoke was almost choking her, tears swimming in her eyes as she pushed her way through. She summoned the wind inside her, pushing it outwards and clearing the air. It wasn't much better, but it would have to do. The ring of fire was burning once more, completely sealed from where Orion had passed it moments ago. Shielding her face with her elbow, Prim pushed past the flames, letting the wind dance around her so she could enter unharmed. Sweat dripped down her temples, her body wet beneath the gear she wore. She pushed forward, nonetheless.

Her father was laying where he had been moments ago, his breathing shallow as Primrose fell to her knees beside him. His skin was hot to the touch, burning her palm as she cupped his chin. He was unconscious, wholly so. She pinched his nose with her other hand, pressing her mouth to his and blowing fresh air into his lungs. His chest moved, expanding upwards as the air filled his lungs. Pulling away, Prim coughed against the smoke before moving down again and blowing another breath of air into her father.

Slipping her arm around his shoulders, she lifted him into a sitting position, his back to her chest. "Come on," she cried, trying to lift his weight entirely on her own.

She stood, pulling him until he was on his knees, his legs complete dead weights as she struggled. It was too hot and he was too heavy. Prim let out a dry sob, moving to wrap her arms around her father's waist, trying to pull him that way. His head lolled against her shoulder as she stood, his feet dragging along the floor as she tried to move. As she turned, looking to see how far from the flames she was, she realised how close they truly were. The fire was spreading, inching closer as Prim stood helpless. It was calling out to her with each crackle. She needed to move.

"Please, Daddy," she sobbed, trying again to pull him up properly. "You can't die, not thinking I hate you."

She wanted to scream, but there was hardly enough air left in her lungs to do so. She coughed, tears streaming down her face as she adjusted her arms around her father's shoulders, the flames licking at their feet. She did not have enough power left to summon air inside her to push them away, she would simply let them engulf her if they dared.

With her vision clouded by smoke, she couldn't tell if what she was seeing was true. But there was someone, a male perhaps, moving toward her, moving through the fire. As they moved closer, Primrose recognised the scar through their eye, the golden iris and fiery red hair. Lucien.

Reaching her side, Lucien took one of Tamlin's arm, hooking it around his shoulders so he was supported between the both of them. Primrose looked up, offering Lucien a smile as he nodded, beginning to move forward and towards a gap he had created in the flames. "He was my best friend for a very long time. Despite everything, I will never forget that."

Primrose offered him a grin, taking one step at a time and trying to push past the exhaustion that bubbled within her. Once they exited the ring of flames, everything just got far worse. There was fire everywhere, an unending maze of it. Lucien looked around, but Prim knew there was no point. There was nowhere to go, they would have to keep travelling. Each cabin they passed was either burning or burnt down. She needed to tend to her father's burns, needed to get him water and wake him up. She couldn't do that when there was not a single safe place to rest.

"Primrose," snapped Lucien, his voice like an echo against the ringing in her ears. She was burning, her very soul aflame. She couldn't breathe. Her knees wobbled with each step, threatening to buckle completely. Just when she thought it was over, when she's ready to fall to the floor and let her lungs deflate from the engulfing smoke, the sky opened.

A black hole of water exploded like fireworks over them. It washed away the flames, knocking Prim's unstable body to the ground, and soaking her with the cold, soothing temperature that combated her sweaty body. Rubbing at her eyes, allowing fresh air to fill her lungs, she saw the soaring wings of Cassian in the sky, the swarm of soldiers beneath him, and Nesta only a few feet away. They had done it. They had brought the Summer Court.

Nesta moved quickly forward, offering Primrose a hand. Prim turned, looking at where Lucien held tightly to her father, his eyes slightly fluttering. She looked back, taking the brunette's hand and allowing her to pull her up. Primrose smiled, chuckling disbelievingly, "Thank you."

Nesta wrapped an arm around Prim's waist, holding her upright. Lucien adjusted, hoisting Tamlin over his shoulder, "We still need to move, we're out in the open. Nesta, go help your family. I've got them."

She wanted to stay with her father, stay until she knew he was okay. But, either way, there wasn't much she could do. Nesta began to remove her arm, ready to pass Primrose to Lucien when Prim grabbed her hand, "I'll go with you."

Nesta only squeezed it in return, "Very well."

Nodding, Prim moved to where her father's head rested against Lucien's back. She cupped his cheeks in her palms, pressing a kiss to his forehead. Moving to the front, Primrose smiled up at Lucien. "Keep him safe for me. He has a burn on his chest and will probably need a fresh change of clothes. And water, make sure he drinks some water."

The redhead nodded, "Of course, I'll take care of him, Primrose."

With one last look, Prim turned back to Nesta, joining her side and walking on the burnt ground. Cassian was still circling above them, his wings flapping against the smoke that had risen into the night sky. There was not much fire anymore, but people were injured, soldiers of both sides fighting within the stretch of land that had been wholly destroyed. There was so much land here and there were so many people to get through. Running at Nesta's side, she realised she just wanted to make sure her family were okay.